With brother's blessing, HS band member gets honor from Army

ATLANTA -- This week, a dozen Georgia high schoolers are learning they will be headed to San Antonio this winter to perform in the marching band at the nation's premier high school All-Star football game.

In Alpharetta Tuesday, one such honoree was sure to thank an important influence: his older brother.

Benjamin Horne will be flown down to San Antonio in January to perform at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl; the band members, much like the football players, are picked from among the country's best.

At this event, Benjamin and his family remembered where it all started.

"He has a brother named Jerome, who's seven years older than he is," said Benjamin's father, Jeff Horne.

And when Jerome and Benjamin were growing up, the younger one said, "I was playing every sport under the sun, and the finally I made the decision on baseball."

But as he watched Jerome thrive at the baritone, Benjamin drifted that way as well ... and not only that, he became really good. In the process, Jerome became his guide.

"My brother once said," Benjamin recalls, "'Now you're getting a little bit older; now you can comprehend what I'm telling you.' His presence of what he's done just changed the whole course of what my life has become."

At the end of ninth grade, when Benjamin had to choose between band and baseball, he chose band. Three years later, he followed Jerome's advice again and applied to play at the All-American Bowl.

So when he was named to the All-American Band, and honored in front of his peers, Benjamin thanked his parents, his teachers, and last and most importantly, his older brother.